In My Kitchen: new season fruit, a little cutie and more!15

Posted on February 8, 2013 by ChristieIn my kitchen, Web Favs

In my kitchen this month is a collection of things that (mostly) aren’t edible, but ARE food related.

Firstly, the only edible goodies are new season pears, apples and figs. I made a special trip to Byron Farmers Market yesterday to get the figs and paid $8.50 for four. I was so excited to grill them and eat them with crepes on the weekend…

BUT, I left them out on the bench last night and the sticky ripe juices attracted about a million ants – which I awoke to find feasting on my expensive figs. Sigh. I will have to find some more on the weekend.

The Lebanese Kitchen by Salma Hage was a christmas present from my hubby’s grandma and I LOVE it. There are so many dishes from my childhood, including a yoghurt soup with dumplings that we used to call ‘spaceship soup’ due to the shape of the dumplings. I’m beyond excited to make it in the coming weeks, along with many other recipes. Stay tuned.

Also, a hand written recipe for Arabian Honey Cake from one of my mum’s work friends. I made the cake the other day and took some pics so will feature it in the next week here. I just adore getting hand written recipes, they are so precious in this digital age.

Lastly (this photo has a lot in it!), a packet of proper Hungarian paprika given to me by my cousin when we visited her in Budapest last year in October. I’ve only just opened it and boy, does it make a difference to traditional dishes. May need to get her to send some more – supermarket paprika just isn’t going to cut it anymore.

I was sent this package of goodies from SunRice** but alas, I do not own a microwave oven. I do not believe in those evil things. Long story. No time to explain today, sorry.

However, I am very grateful for the accompaniments, as I am keen to make sushi at home and am more than happy to make my own sushi rice from scratch. I am most excited about using the Global sashimi knife and intend to get all Jiro on its ass.

I did give the sushi rice to my mother in law though, and she made homemade sushi with her teenage nieces and they were all super pleased with the results.

This little peanut-butter-sandwich-munching cute monster is always hanging around my kitchen! She is having a major growth spurt at the moment and is constantly opening the pantry doors and staring up into the abyss or trying to open the fridge door and convince me to give her some chocolate milk.

Now that her beloved nectarines are out of season I am slowly transitioning her to autumn fruits like pears (likes the juicy soft ones), apples (likes tiny crunchy ones she can hold in one hand) and figs (won’t go near them). She’s devouring the last of the 13kg watermelon we bought locally and I’m going to try her on muscat grapes that will be available at the markets this week. I love the change of seasons!

I picked up this vintage cookbook called Let’s Entertain in a vintage store in Brunswick Heads. There is no date inside the cover but I’m guessing 60s or 70s from the recipes. Think lots of savoury gelatine creations, tinned pineapple in dishes that should not include it and weird and wonderful flavour combinations that could only taste good on LSD. I’m curious to cook from it, should be fun!

Last but not least, some local crystallised ginger I bought at Lennox Head market – this stuff really packs a punch and clears out the sinuses! I’ve been enjoying it in small portions with caution. Need to think of a good recipe to include it in – any suggestions?

What’s happening in your kitchen this month?

Linking up with Celia from Fig Jam and Lime Cordial who started the In My Kitchen series. Click on through to see what other bloggers have in their kitchens this month!

Christie x

**This item was gifted to me in accordance with my disclosure policy.

  • Anna @ The Littlest Anchovy

    Don’t you just hate ants in the kitchen! I hate an altercation with a bunch of them the other day… Poppy is just the cutest little button :)

    • Anna @ The Littlest Anchovy

      *had*

      • http://www.figandcherry.com/ Christie Connelly

        I have just read in my Speed Cleaning book by Shannon Lush (my bible!) that a mixture of borax, icing sugar and bi carb left in the trail somewhere will kill them! Apparently the borax kills them, but the sugar helps it stick to them so they take it back to the nest… sounds kind of harsh, but really, the ants have to go!! :)

  • heidiannie

    Your little cutie in the kitchen is absolutely adorable!!!!

    Those eyes and that little hand- I have gone back at least five times to look at her picture!
    I love fresh fruit- and since I don’t have a fig tree- I try to cultivate friends who do- but right now- all of our fruit comes from California, Mexico or Chile-except for the irradiated apples and the cache of frozen fruit I put up over the summer!
    Thanks for the peek into your kitchen!

    • http://www.figandcherry.com/ Christie Connelly

      Thank you! I just love her pushed up lip as she shoves the sandwich into her mouth :) I don’t have a fig tree either, but am hoping to plant one at our new house!

  • Lizzy (Good Things)

    Your little one is very cute, Christie! And I love all the goodies in your kitchen. Love the paprika, nagyon finom!

    • http://www.figandcherry.com/ Christie Connelly

      Thanks Lizzy! I thought you might be keen on the paprika – there really is no substitute for the traditional stuff, it’s so much sweeter and more complex. Delish.

  • Glenda

    Hi Christie. I got The Lebanese Kitchen for Christmas too. I agree with you, it is a great book. Your little girl is gorgeous, I would like to take her home.

    • http://www.figandcherry.com/ Christie Connelly

      Oh what a coincidence! Don’t you love the crimped edges of the pages? The photography is lovely too. It’s hard to know which page to start cooking from!

  • celia

    Christie, hasn’t Poppy grown! She is too cute for words! The figs – ant thing is very annoying, we’ve had that happen here too..grrr..I’ve taken to keeping figs in the fridge once they’re ripe for that reason! And that cookbook is definitely one to look out for! Thanks for playing! :) xx

    • http://www.figandcherry.com/ Christie Connelly

      Definitely popping my next batch of figs in the fridge – great idea! :)

  • http://twitter.com/DaisyNTSFM Daisy

    Awww Poppy is still SUPER cute! And good on you for not having a microwave, I have one and use it, but I really hope one day I will get rid of it because, they do more harm than we think! :)

    • http://www.figandcherry.com/ Christie Connelly

      Totally agree Daisy. People think I’m loopy but I refuse to have a microwave. It’s just as convenient to heat things on the stove as far as I’m concerned! :)

  • http://twitter.com/cookingcrusade Christine

    I love vintage cookbooks. I often come home with a bagful every time I walk into Vinnies.. teehee, Poppy is sooo adorable. Ps: I’ve never really thought about microwaves being unsafe.. I would love to hear more about your opinion on this!

  • http://84thand3rd.com/ JJ – 84thand3rd

    look at those curls and blue eyes – what a heart breaker! I have a thing for vintage cookbooks too, love flicking through the classic (and sometimes scary!) recipes. We don’t microwave anything either…

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